B202 – Visualize It: Information & Operations

May Chang,
Assistant Director, LibraryTechnology, East Carolina University

From infographics to Tumblr, from visual search to operation dashboards, visual information is the hot-new-thing. The way we compile and share information is changing. Kopecky and Porcaro explore how the changing face of information, especially the rapid expansion of the visual, provides opportunities for creating library work environments in which traditional technology training evolves into encouraged exploration, and change becomes the normal, and welcomed, mode of operation. Chang describes how a digital dashboard brings data to life. Displaying library IT operations with real-time snapshots of key performance indicators, this visual dashboard allows them to evaluate data and situations at a glance without the lengthy reports and spreadsheets. They also created a platform-independent, mobile-friendly version with data visualization features.